YEAR IN REVIEW 2008: MUSICAL BABY BOOM
In 2008, musicians were reproducing like crazy. Here's a look back at the musical Baby Boom of the past year.
JANUARY
After keeping her pregnancy a secret until November of 2007, CHRISTINA AGUILERA finally delivered her first child, a baby boy named MAX LIRON BRATMAN, on January 12th. The father is Christina's husband, JORDAN BRATMAN.
On January 11th, JOEL MADDEN of GOOD CHARLOTTE and his girlfriend, NICOLE RICHIE, welcomed daughter HARLOW WINTER KATE MADDEN. Harlow's birth made LIONEL RICHIE, Nicole's adoptive father, a grandfather. Joel and Nicole currently have no plans to marry.
PAUL MCCARTNEY became a grandfather again when his daughter STELLA gave birth to her third child, BECKETT ROBERT LEE WILLIS on January 8th. The baby was Paul's fifth grandchild overall. FEBRUARY
After refusing to confirm her very apparent pregnancy until November of 2007, JENNIFER LOPEZ and husband MARC ANTHONY welcomed twins MAX and EMME on February 22nd. The twins were the couple's first children -- Anthony has three other kids from previous relationships. In March, the couple unveiled the twins in a People magazine photo spread which reportedly netted them six million bucks.
MAY
On May 16th, rap superstar T.I. and his girlfriend, TAMEKA "TINY" COTTLE, welcomed their second son together, MAJOR HARRIS. It was T.I.'s fifth child overall.
It wasn't exactly a birth, but on May 28th, MADONNA's adoption of her son DAVID BANDA finally became official, when the High Court in the capital city of Malawi granted her a permanent adoption order for the two-year-old boy.
On May 31st, JOE DON ROONEY of RASCAL FLATTS welcomed his first child with wife TIFFANY FALLON: son JAGGER DONOVAN ROONEY.
JULY
On July 7th, country/pop star KEITH URBAN and his Oscar-winning wife NICOLE KIDMAN welcomed their first child together, daughter SUNDAY ROSE. Nicole also has two adopted children with former husband TOM CRUISE.
AUGUST
On August 5th, American Idol season four favorite BO BICE and his wife CAROLINE welcomed their second child, CALEB. They also have a three-year-old son named AIDAN.
CLAY AIKEN shocked his fans when, on August 8th, he became a father of a son, PARKER FOSTER AIKEN. The mother was Clay's close female friend, JAYMES FOSTER, sister of producer DAVID FOSTER, who'd become pregnant via artificial insemination. A month later, Clay came out to People magazine, explaining thatParker's birth had inspired him to finally come clean about his homosexuality. He told People, ""I cannot raise a child to lie or hide things."
In early August, RICKY MARTIN became the father of twin boys MATTEO and VALENTINO, via a surrogate. Showing off photos of the boys in December, Ricky said, "Everything they do, from smiling to crying, feels like a blessing. Being a father is amazing."
After what seemed to be an extremely long pregnancy, GWEN STEFANI and her husband GAVIN ROSSDALE welcomed their second child, son ZUMA NESTA ROCK ROSSDALE, on August 21st. The child's middle name, Nesta, was also the middle name of late Jamaican reggae legend BOB MARLEY. Zuma is the name of a beach in California.
SEPTEMBER
Songwriter, producer and singer KENNETH "BABYFACE" EDMONDS and his girlfriend NICOLE PANTENBERG welcomed their first child together on September 9th, a daughter named PEYTON NICOLE EDMONDS. Babyface also has two sons from his previous marriage to TRACEY EDMONDS.
OCTOBER On October 22nd, just days after LIL WAYNE announced at a BET Awards taping that he was expecting a baby boy, he welcomed little DWAYNE CARTER III. The name of the mother has not been revealed. Weezy was in the delivery room for the birth, and later said, "It was nasty, very nasty, but it was wonderful. He's the best thing to ever happen to me, next to my daughter."
NOVEMBER
About ten days after ASHLEE SIMPSON and FALL OUT BOY's PETE WENTZ tied the knot in May, the couple confirmed months of speculation when they announced that Ashlee was expecting. Ashlee finally gave birth to little BRONX MOWGLI WENTZ on November 20th. The couple immediately became the target of much abuse over the baby's name -- Pete later confirmed that "Mowgli" was inspired by the name character in the Disney film The Jungle Book. The arrival of the child made an aunt of Ashlee's sister JESSICA SIMPSON.
DECEMBER
Just over a year after welcoming their first child together, USHER and his wife TAMEKA FOSTER ushered another baby into the family. The baby boy, born December 10th, was named NAVIYD ELY RAYMOND. His big brother, USHER RAYMOND V, turned one on November 26th. Tameka has three sons from a previous relationship.
Rumors were rampant that MARIAH CAREY and husband NICK CANNON are expecting their first child but at press time, they had not confirmed the pregnancy.
YEAR IN REVIEW 2008: MARRIAGES, BREAKUPS, HOOKUPS, DIVORCES
2008 brought several surprise marriages for music's biggest stars, and some bitter breakups. Here's a look back at the marriages, divorces and splits of the past year:
FEBRUARY
After being dogged by reports of marriage trouble, PINK and her husband, motocross racer CAREY HART, decided to separate in February. However, Pink claimed that she and Carey still loved each other and were "best friends," and that the divorce wasn't about, quote, "cheating, anger or fighting." Later in the year, Pink slammed Carey in her hit song and video "So What," but continued to insist that they loved each other and were best friends.
On February 2nd, 24-year-old KATHARINE MCPHEE married her 43-year-old longtime boyfriend, NICK COKAS, in front of 305 guests. She serenaded him with "Unforgettable."
APRIL
After dating for seven years, BEYONCÉ and JAY-Z finally tied the knot on April 4th in a super-secret New York City ceremony. Nobody would confirm or acknowledge that the ceremony had even taken place, but a few weeks later, a signed marriage license proved that the two had actually tied the knot, but Beyoncé still didn't acknowledge that the two had wed until October, in an interview with Essence magazine. No photos from the event have ever been released.
Days after reports started circulating that MARIAH CAREY was engaged to actor NICK CANNON, Mariah confirmed to People that the two had actually tied the knot in a secret ceremony in the Bahamas on April 30th. The two had known each other since 2005, but had recently reconnected, and Nick proposed on April 25th. Mariah told People, "We really do feel we are soulmates. I never felt a love like this was in the cards for me." Rumors are now flying that Mariah is pregnant.
JOHN MAYER was revealed to be dating JENNIFER ANISTON in April. The two broke up four months later, with Mayer telling reporters, "I don't want to waste somebody's time if something's not right." However, the two reconnected in the fall and are still seeing one another. Jennifer has since denied tabloid reports that she's carrying John's child, and that she proposed to him.
MAY ASHLEE SIMPSON and FALL OUT BOY's PETE WENTZ tied the knot in an Alice In Wonderland-themed ceremony on May 17th. On May 28th, they confirmed that Ashlee was pregnant; she gave birth to their son, BRONX MOWGLI WENTZ in November.
After an acrimonious legal battle, in May, PAUL McCARTNEY and HEATHER MILLS were granted a preliminary divorce, which became final six weeks later. Heather received a settlement of over 47 million dollars, custody of the couple's four-year-old daughter BEATRICE and a reputation that is, as she claims, quote, "worse than a murderer or a pedophile." Sir Paul retained the lion's share of his fortune, which was estimated at 880 million bucks.
After 14 years of marriage, SHANIA TWAIN and her husband, superproducer "MUTT" LANGE, announced they were splitting in May. They have one son, EJA. Mutt claimed the split was due to a "growing apart," but sources told People magazine that it was Mutt's affair with the couple's secretary, MARIE ANN THIÉBAUD, that caused the marriage to end. Thiébaud denied she had anything to do with the split. In December, Shania was spotted hanging out in New York with a group of friends that included Thiébaud's ex-husband.
Days after winning American Idol, DAVID COOK admitted that he had just started seeing Idol season 2 finalist KIMBERLY CALDWELL, who he'd met when she interviewed him live on the air. At press time, the two were still dating.
JUNE On June 10th, TIMBALAND married his girlfriend MONIQUE IDLETT, in a civil ceremony in Virginia Beach, Virginia. A formal ceremony in Aruba followed on June 22nd. The two had welcomed their first child, a girl named REIGN, in November 2007.
American Idol season two champ RUBEN STUDDARD wed 30-year-old fiancée SURATA ZURI MCCANTS in Birmingham, Alabama on June 28th. People magazine reported that 20 groomsmen were on hand for the ceremony.
JULY On July 19th, NELLY FURTADO married Cuban sound engineer DEMACIO CASTELLÓN, who'd worked on her album Loose. The two had gotten engaged the previous July. Nelly has a daughter, NEVIS, from a previous relationship.
In July, MICHAEL BUBLÉ and Devil Wears Prada star EMILY BLUNT announced they were ending their three-year relationship. It was generally assumed that the pressures of their respective schedules became too much to bear. Just a few weeks later, Michael was labeled a cad after he was photographed smooching another girl. He continues to date; Emily is now reportedly seeing Office star JOHN JOHN KRASINSKI.
AUGUST MICHAEL BOLTON and NICOLLETTE SHERIDAN, who'd been engaged for two-and-a-half-years, called off their relationship in August. Michael and the Desperate Housewives star dated for five years in the '90s and resumed their romance in 2005. They got engaged in 2006.
On August 7th, JEWEL married her VERY longtime boyfriend, rodeo champion, TY MURRAY, in a secret cermemony in the Bahamas. The couple had been together for ten years.
SEPTEMBER On September 6th, KT TUNSTALL married her drummer, LUKE BULLEN, on Scotland's Isle of Skye. Bullen had proposed to KT in December of 2007.
In September, SARAH MCLACHLAN told Billboard that she and her husband of 11 years, ASHWIN SOOD, were splitting. They have two young daughters. Sarah said, "I wasn't planning on saying anything but it's gonna come out at some point...there's no good time to say it." She also admitted that the split had inspired the two new songs on her best-of CD: "U Want Me 2" and "Don't Give Up on Us."
OCTOBER On October 5th, American Idol season six finalist LAKISHA JONES tied the knot in Beverly Hills with financial adviser LARRY DAVIS. In attendance wereseason seven top 10 finalists MELINDA DOOLITTLE, SANJAYA MALAKAR, GINA GLOCKSEN and HALEY SCARNATO.
The biggest breakup of 2008 came on October 15th: the announcement that MADONNA and GUY RITCHIE were ending their eight-year marriage. The couple had been dogged by rumors that Madonna was getting cozy with Yankees star ALEX RODRIGUEZ, but both continue to insist that they are no more than friends. In her divorce filing in November, Madonna cited "unreasonable behavior" as the reason for the split; it will become final early next year. Still to be determined is a custody settlement for Madonna and Guy's sons ROCCO and DAVID.
NOVEMBER Though they had never addressed their relationship while it was going on, in November, TAYLOR SWIFT belatedly confirmed that she was dating JOE JONAS of the JONAS BROTHERS when she told everyone that he'd dumped her over the phone and taken up with actress CAMILLA BELLE. In a video on her MySpace blog, Taylor held up a Joe Jonas doll and said, "See, this one even comes with a phone. So he can break up with other dolls." On his own MySpace blog, Joe denied cheating on Taylor, saying, "It might make someone feel better to assume or imply I have been unfaithful but it is simply not true. Maybe there were reasons for a breakup. Maybe the heart moved on. Perhaps feelings changed." And about that phone call? He wrote, "I called to discuss feelings with the other person. Those feelings were obviously not well received."
On November 3rd, TV Guide reported that SIMON COWELL had split with his longtime girlriend, Extra's TERRI SEYMOUR, who he'd been dating since 2002. Simon was quoted as saying, "She and I still speak and we always will. I'm friends with all my old girlfriends. It was sad when [we] finished, but now I get to do what I want, which is brilliant. I don't want to get married and don't think I ever will."
GOOD CHARLOTTE's BENJI MADDEN and girlfriend PARIS HILTON split up in November after nine months of dating. But Paris later told RYAN SEACREST, "He is an incredible person and we will always be really close...I am still in love with him." Benji's twin brother JOEL is involved with and has a child with Paris' best friend NICOLE RICHIE.
YEAR IN REVIEW 2008: BILLBOARD'S TOP HOT AC/ADULT TOP 40 SONGS OF 2008
These are Billboard's Top Hot AC/Adult Top 40 Songs of 2008:
1. "Love Song," SARA BAREILLES
2. "Whatever It Takes," LIFEHOUSE
3. "Feels Like Tonight," DAUGHTRY
4. "It's Not My Time," 3 DOORS DOWN
5. "Sorry," BUCKCHERRY
6. "Bleeding Love," LEONA LEWIS
7. "Paralyzer," FINGER ELEVEN
8. "Viva La Vida," COLDPLAY
9. "Apologize," ONEREPUBLIC
10. "I'm Yours," JASON MRAZ
11. "Love Remains The Same," GAVIN ROSSDALE
12. "Stop And Stare," ONE REPUBLIC
13. "Pocketful of Sunshine," NATASHA BEDINGFIELD
14. "Bubbly," COLBIE CAILLAT
15. "All Summer Long," KID ROCK
16. "Won't Go Home Without You," MAROON 5
17. "Realize," COLBIE CAILLAT
18. "In Love With A Girl," GAVIN DEGRAW
19. "Shadow Of the Day," LINKIN PARK
20. "Over You," DAUGHTRY
YEAR IN REVIEW 2008: STARS WHO WENT FROM JUST "FAMOUS" TO "HUGE"
In 2008, some artists who'd been around for a while suddenly broke through and became massive stars, either due to a huge hit, or a year's worth of non-stop, high-profile, activity, or both. Who were these acts who went from "meh" to "wow" in 2008? Let's take a look:
JORDIN SPARKS In 2007, she won American Idol, but her season wasn't well liked by either critics or fans, and her album and coronation single didn't do as well as expected on the charts. But in 2008, Jordin Sparks became a bonafide pop superstar. How? It was all because of her three platinum selling singles: "Tattoo," "No Air," and "One Step At A Time." By year's end, Jordin had won a Teen Choice Award, an NAACP Award, an AMA award and scored a Grammy nomination. She did two tours with ALICIA KEYS and one with JESSE MCCARTNEY. Oh, and she made headlines at the MTV VMAS by scolding host RUSSELL BRAND for dissing the JONAS BROTHERS' purity rings. Not bad for a teenager.
THE JONAS BROTHERS
Though they'd scored a top 5 album, in 2007, the JoBros were best known as a Disney act who took a back seat to MILEY CYRUS. In 2008, they mounted not one but two sold-out tours, and scored a #1 album with A Little Bit Longer, which produced two big radio hits -- "Burnin' Up" and "Lovebug" -- plus numerous singles that charted strictly due to sale.
The JoBros also starred in the hit Disney movie Camp Rock, made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, released a book, were immortalized in wax, shot a 3-D movie, started work on a Disney Channel TV series, won six Teen Choice Awards, announced they'd be starring in a movie called Walter The Farting Dog and -- oh yeah -- they also scored a Grammy nod for Best New Artist. And the string of ladies they've left in their wake includes TAYLOR SWIFT, MILEY CYRUS, SELENA GOMEZ and CAMILLA BELLE.
CHRIS BROWN
CHRIS BROWN first topped the chart with his debut single, "Run It!," back in 2005. But in 2008, he truly came into his own as a superstar, thanks to his album Exclusive: The Forever Edition, and his hit singles "Forever," "No Air," "With You" and "Take You Down." He also co-wrote the smash hit "Disturbia" for RIHANNA, who we all know he's dating, no matter how much he denies it. Showing his versatility, Chris also did some songs for THE JONAS BROTHERS and country star TIM MCGRAW, but those haven't been released yet.
On top of that, Chris toured the world, and won three American Music Awards, including Artist of the Year; five Teen Choice Awards, an MTV Video Music Award and a BET Award. He's also up for two Grammy Awards and four People's Choice Awards, and Billboard named him Artist of the Year for 2008.
NATASHA BEDINGFIELD Natasha had been kicking around the U.S. charts since 2005, but in 2008, she scored her biggest ever hit, "Pocketful of Sunshine." Soon, she was everywhere, and we do mean everywhere. Natasha popped up on every major TV show, including American Idol and Sesame Street. She was also tapped to be part of the Stand Up 2 Cancer all-star charity single, she performed at Fashion Rocks and at the NFL Season Kickoff concert, she appeared as herself, twice, on Lipstick Jungle, and she co-wrote songs on BRANDY's comeback album. She did her first U.S. headlining tour, and opened for NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK's reunion tour. She even sang on the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular, even though she isn't even American. And -- oh yeah -- she got engaged, too.
JASON MRAZ
Jason had been a chart presence since 2002, but in 2008, he scored his first-ever top ten hit with "I'm Yours," a song he'd written years before that became an Internet sensation. In addition, his album, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things, entered the chart at #3 -- his highest-charting CD yet. Jason launched a headlining tour, performed at the Nobel Peace Prize concert, was namechecked as a personal idol of DAVID ARCHULETA, published a book of his photographs and ended the year by scoring two Grammy nominations.
MILEY CYRUS It didn't seem possible for Miley to get any bigger than she was in 2007, but she pulled it off, releasing a album, Breakthrough, that had nothing to do with Hannah Montana, yet still debuted at #1. She also scored her highest-charting single to date, "7 Things." In addition, she was named one of Forbes' 20 Richest under 20, her 3-D concert film grossed over 70 million dollars, she shot a Hannah Monatana movie, she hosted, performed and won at the Teen Choice Awards, won at the Kids' Choice Awards, sang on the Idol Gives Back charity special, and was named one of BARBARA WALTERS' Most Fascinating People of 2008. She also turned 16 years old, starred in the box office smash Bolt, and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song from that movie.
But most of all, Miley grew up in 2008. She spilled the beans about her relationship and breakup with NICK JONAS. She started dating older underwear model JUSTIN GASTON, and pictures of her in HER underwear were leaked online. And she caused a firestorm of controversy when photos of her wrapped in a sheet with a bare back appeared in Vanity Fair.
TAYLOR SWIFT She'd been a country music star since 2006, but in 2008, Taylor Swift became a full-fledged, flat-out pop star, thanks to her breakthrough crossover hit "Teardrops On My Guitar." In February, she lost the Best New Artist Grammy to AMY WINEHOUSE, but that was one small misstep in a year that saw the blonde teen launch her own line of jeans, her own line of dolls, and her super-successful second CD, Fearless. It debuted at #1 with 592 thousand copies in its first week, setting the record as the biggest debut by a female artist on the Billboard album chart in 2008.
Taylor also duetted with rock legends DEF LEPPARD on a CMT special, won an American Music Award, and was tapped to host the Grammy nominations TV special in December. She also dated, and -- she claimed -- got dumped by teen dream JOE JONAS, in a 27-second phone call. Taylor's public outing of Joe's caddish behavior forced him to post a note on his MySpace page denying her accusations. Oh yeah -- Taylor also voted for the first time in her young life. She said, "I feel so completely American!"
YEAR IN REVIEW 2008: NEW FACES BREAK THROUGH
In 2008, artists nobody had ever heard of 12 months previously took over the charts, creating some of the most memorable music of the year. Let's take a look at some notable members of the Freshman Class of 2008:
KATY PERRY If there was an "It Girl" of 2008, it was KATY PERRY. Buzz on the singer, who'd been trying to make it in the music industry for several years, started in April, when MADONNA told RYAN SEACREST that she loved Katy's song "Ur So Gay." But it was Katy's official debut single, "I Kissed A Girl" that took her to the top of the charts for seven weeks and made her a star. The song also caused plenty of controversy, and Katy's super-religious parents were reported to have disowned her over it. That wasn't true, but many were turned off by what they considered to be Katy's faux-lesbianism. Katy was far from that, though -- she and boyfriend GYM CLASS HEROES TRAVIS MCCOY quickly became a pop music power couple, and spent the summer on the road together on the Warped Tour.
Katy also had the honor of singing "Like A Virgin" at the MTV Video Music Awards, and hosting the MTV Europe Awards. She released a second smash hit single, "Hot & Cold," released a doll modeled in her likeness, and took her music all over the world. She wrapped up 2008 by scoring a Grammy nomination.
LEONA LEWIS
After winning the British version of American Idol, X Factor, in 2006, LEONA LEWIS was personally mentored by the show's creator, SIMON COWELL, who was convinced she could be a worldwide star. When she released her debut single "Bleeding Love" and it went #1, she became the first British female solo star to top the U.S. charts with a debut single since KIM WILDE did it in 1987. Her debut CD Spirit, also debuted at #1, marking the first time in Billboard chart history that a British female artist had done that.
Spirit went on to produce another smash, "Better In Time," sell five million copies worldwide, and make Leona was the best-selling new artist of 2008. She was also named Billboard's Top New Artist of 2008, and "Bleeding Love" was iTunes #1 selling single of the year. Leona also got the OPRAH seal of approval, when the TV queen called her "The real deal."
Meanwhile, Leona performed at the Beijing Olympics closing ceremonies with JIMMY PAGE, participated in the all-star Stand Up 2 Cancer charity single, sang for PRINCE CHARLES, performed at a JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE-organized charity concert in Las Vegas, and was a winner at the World Music Awards, the MOBO Awards and the UK Music Video Awards, among other ceremonies. She closed out 2008 by nabbing three Grammy nods.
DAVID COOK
After winning American Idol, DAVID COOK placed 11 songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100 chart -- marking the first time one artist had so many songs on that chart simultaneously since the BEATLES did it in 1964. His coronation single "The Time Of My Life" ruled the Adult charts for weeks, and was used by NBC to promote the Summer Olympics.
David's first CD, most of which he co-wrote, debuted at #3 in November, right behind BEYONCE and NICKELBACK. Along the way, David got to perform on Saturday Night Live, win a Teen Choice Award, appear on Oprah, sing at Carnegie Hall, and take batting practice with the Mets. He closed out the year by performing on Fox's New Year's Eve Live special, and is making plans to perform for the troops in Iraq this January.
DAVID ARCHULETA
DAVID ARCHULETA didn't win American Idol, but he did prove that he has a bright career ahead of him when his debut single, "Crush," debuted at #2 on the Billboard chart. In addition to "Crush" being the highest-debuting single of 2008, it was also the highest-debuting post-show song ever released by an Idol contestant.
On top of that, Archie's self-titled debut CD, featuring several songs he co-wrote, entered the chart at #2 in November. He sang at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and is planning his first tour next year. And he still has millions of fans who are convinced that the wrong David won -- in fact, he won the Teen Choice Award for Artist With The Most Fanatical Fans.
SARA BAREILLES
SARA BAREILLES broke out big in 2008 thanks to "Love Song," a diatribe against her record company who'd been pressuring her to write "hits." After the song was chosen as an iTunes free single of the week, and Sara herself appeared in a commercial for the Rhapsody music service, the song was unstoppable, ending up as Billboard's #1 adult song of 2008. Meanwhile, Sara toured with JAMES BLUNT and MAROON 5, launched her first headlining tour in October, put out a live DVD, and capped off the year by scoring two Grammy nods and selling out many shows on a newly-announced 2009 tour. How's that for commercial, record company?
YEAR IN REVIEW 2008: MUSICAL DEATHS
Here's a look back at some of the musicians we lost in 2008.
JANUARY
19th: JOHN STEWART, 68, California singer-songwriter, former member of THE KINGSTON TRIO, best known for writing the MONKEES' "Daydream Believer" and scoring the 1979 top five hit "Gold."
FEBRUARY
25th: STEPHEN "STATIC MAJOR" GARRETT, 33, singer, songwriter, rapper and producer, co-credited on LIL WAYNE's smash hit "Lollipop" but died two weeks before its release. Also helped produce the AALIYAH hits "Try Again" and "Are You That Somebody?"
26th: BUDDY MILES, 60, drummer best known for working with JIMI HENDRIX in his group BAND OF GYPSIES from 1969 to 1970. His signature solo hit was "Them Changes." Miles also sang lead vocals for the 1986 CALIFORNIA RAISINS ad campaign and appeared on two California Raisins albums.
28th: MIKE SMITH, 64, lead singer of the DAVE CLARK FIVE, hits included "Over & Over," "Bits & Pieces," "Because" and "Glad All Over." Sadly, he died two weeks before being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, on March 10th, with the Dave Clark Five.
MARCH
2nd: JEFF HEALEY, 41, blind Canadian guitarist and singer, best known for the 1989 top five hit "Angel Eyes."
23rd: NEIL ASPINALL, 66, former head of the BEATLES' company Apple Corps, childhood friend of PAUL MCCARTNEY and GEORGE HARRISON. Also worked as the Beatles' road manager and personal assistant, and executive-produced The Beatles Anthology. Played harmonica on "Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite," percussion on "Magical Mystery Tour," tabmoura on "Within Without You" and sang on "Yellow Submarine." Sued Apple Computers numerous times for trademark violation.
APRIL 17th: DANNY "PHANTOM" FEDERICI, 58, played organ and accordion in BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN's E STREET BAND. His organ solo on "Hungry Heart" was particularly notable.
MAY
26th: EARLE HAGEN, 88, composer of film and television theme music, including The Andy Griffith Show and The Mod Squad.
JUNE 2nd: BO DIDDLEY, rock and roll pioneer, songwriter and guitarist, popularized what became known as the "Bo Diddley" beat, with its signature "shave-and-a-haircut-two-bits" rhythm. Influenced everyone from THE ROLLING STONES, BUDDY HOLLY and BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN to GRATEFUL DEAD, THE PRETENDERS, JIMI HENDRIX and GEORGE THOROGOOD.
JULY 25th: HIRAM BULLOCK, 52, jazz fusion guitarist who played on classic albums by STEELY DAN, PAUL SIMON, STING and BILLY JOEL.
AUGUST 10th: ISAAC HAYES, 65, soul and funk music pioneer, co-write hits like "Soul Man" for SAM & DAVE, created the soundtrack and Oscar-winning theme song for the 1971 film Shaft, released hit albums Hot Buttered Soul and Black Moses, later found fame playing the character of Chef on South Park, acted in movies like Soul Men, Escape From New York, Hustle & Flow.
15: JERRY WEXLER, 91, record producer, coined the term "rhythm & blues," discovered or produced artists like ARETHA FRANKLIN, RAY CHARLES, DUSTY SPRINGFIELD, WILSON PICKETT and LED ZEPPELLN.
18th: PERVIS JACKSON, 70, bass vocalist, member of the soul group THE SPINNERS, featured on hits like "Games People Play."
19th: LEROI MOORE, 46, saxophonist and founding member of THE DAVE MATTHEWS BAND, co-wrote hits like "Too Much" and "Stay (Wasting Time)."
31st: JERRY REED, 71, country singer/songwriter, actor who appeared in the Smokey & The Bandit films, scored pop hits with "Amos Moses," "When You're Hot You're Hot."
SEPTEMBER
15th: RICHARD WRIGHT, 65, founding member and keyboardist for PINK FLOYD, wrote "Us & Them" and "The Great Gig In The Sky."
16th: NORMAN WHITFIELD, 68, producer and songwriter best known for his work with Motown. Hits he produced included "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Ain't Too Proud To Beg," "Papa Was A Rolling Stone," "Cloud Nine" and "Car Wash."
18th: OPAL COURTNEY JR. 71, singer for THE SPANIELS, whose big hit was "Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight."
19th: EARL PALMER, 84, session drummer, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who played on classics by THE BEACH BOYS, IKE & TINA TURNER, LITTLE RICHARD, RICHIE VALENS, THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS and FATS DOMINO.
OCTOBER 11th: NEAL HEFTI, 85, jazz trumpeter and composer, wrote the theme for the TV shows Batman and The Odd Couple
17th: LEVI STUBBS, 72, lead singer of THE FOUR TOPS, heard on hits like "Reach Out (I'll Be There)," "Bernadette," "Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" and "Baby I Need Your Loving."
18th: DEE DEE WARWICK, 63, soul singer, younger sister of DIONNE WARWICK, recorded the original versions of "You're No Good" and "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," which were later turned into big pop hits by LINDA RONSTADT and THE SUPREMES and THE TEMPTATIONS respectively.
NOVEMBER 1st: JIMMY CARL BLACK, 70, drummer with FRANK ZAPPA's MOTHERS OF INVENTION
10th: MIRIAM MAKEBA, 76, Grammy-winning South African vocalist and civil rights activist nicknamed "Mama Afrika."
12th: MITCH MITCHELL, 70, drummer, THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE
22nd: MC BREED, 37, first commercially-successful rapper to hail from the Midwest, recorded "Ain't No Future In Yo Frontin'," appeared on TUPAC's hit "Gotta Get Mine."
DECEMBER 2nd: ODETTA, 77, American folk singer, songwriter, actress, civil rights activist, influenced JOAN BAEZ, BOB DYLAN, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and JANIS JOPLIN.
9th: DENNIS YOST, 65, singer for CLASSICS IV, who scored hits in the late sixties with "Spooky," "Stormy" and "Traces."
THE BOX OFFICE STORY OF 2008
It was a big year at the box in 2008. Let's take a look at this year's winners and losers:
WINNERS:
* The Dark Knight - The year in movies ultimately boils down to three little words: The Dark Knight. The latest installment in the revamped Batman series was easily 2008's biggest film, earning nearly 531 million dollars in American theaters and almost 997 million globally. The action flick was such a hit, in fact, it's now the second highest-grossing film in U.S. history, trailing only Titanic, and the fourth highest-grossing film around the world. The Dark Knight received an eerie boost, no doubt, by the death of HEATH LEDGER, whose portrayal of The Joker had already gained significant buzz before he died from an accidental overdose of prescription pills in January. Ledger's performance won over audiences and critics alike and he was rewarded with a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor -- the only nomination the film received. Oh, and let's not forget that The Dark Knight was the second-most purchased DVD this year. Not too shabby considering it came out earlier this month.
* ROBERT DOWNEY JR. -- The actor stormed back to the top Hollywood's A-list with a pair of smash hits. In May, he first won over audiences in Iron Man, which finished as the second highest-grossing movie in the U.S. this year, pulling in a little more than 318 million dollars. He then followed that up in August with the comedy Tropic Thunder, in which he portrayed a white actor in blackface. The movie grossed a healthy 187.7 million dollars.
* Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Moviegoers were delighted to welcome Indiana Jones back into their lives. This fourth film in the franchise, and first since 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, was the year's third biggest film in American theaters, pulling in 317 million dollars.
* The return of popular characters - In addition to HARRISON FORD'S resurrecting Indiana Jones, SYLVESTER STALLONE was back as Rambo in the film of the same name. The fourth movie in the series earned a modest 42 million dollars, while DANIEL CRAIG suited up once more as James Bond in the latest 007 offering, Quantum of Solace, which earned a place as one the 10 highest-grossing films in the U.S. and the world. Five years after Hulk disappointed movie audiences, a new version called The Incredible Hulk came out and scored at the box office, earning 134 million dollars.
* WILL SMITH - Another ho-hum year the star: Hancock was the fourth highest-grossing movie of the year in the U.S., pulling in 228 million dollars. His most recent film, the cryptic Seven Pounds, was not as dazzling, only grossing 16 million dollars over its debut weekend.
* Sex and the City - The film proved to be just as popular on the big screen as it did on the small screen, as Carrie and the girls made 152.6 million dollars in the U.S, while also landing a spot as one of the 10 biggest films worldwide, with 415.1 million dollars in sales. Reports of a sequel are in the works.
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - Like Sex and the City, this Disney musicalalso enjoyed a smooth transition from the boob tube. After two wildly successful flicks on the Disney Channel films, the third film in the franchise showed no signs of slowing down in theaters by making more than 89 million dollars.
* Mamma Mia! - In terms of musicals, this movie actually blew away High School Musical 3. It earned nearly 570 million dollars globally, helping it to finish as one of this year's 10 biggest films.
* MERYL STREEP - The actress had audiences singing in Mamma Mia! and audiences singing her praises in Doubt, which is receiving heavy Oscar hype.
* Cartoons - Four of the top 10 movies in the U.S. were animated -- Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!, WALL-E, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.
* ANGELINA JOLIE and BRAD PITT - While it may seem like Jolie spent the year having twins and giving endless magazine interviews, she also took time out to star in three big hits. Wanted and Kung Fu Panda combined to earn a whopping 349 million dollars at the U.S. box office and her role as the mother of a kidnapped child in Changeling has some saying she could win another Academy Award. Pitt, though, didn't exactly take a backseat to Jolie this year. He starred in the critically-acclaimed comedy Burn After Reading and has gained serious Oscar buzz of his own for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. In fact, both Jolie and Pitt have been nominated for Golden Globes -- Jolie for Changeling and Pitt for Benjamin Button.
* ANNE HATHAWAY - The actress took a giant step forward in becoming one of Hollywood's most prominent actresses. Get Smart was a hit and Rachel Getting Married has several people talking about her in the same breath as Oscar. That role has also netted her a Golden Globe nod.
* STEVE CARELL - Hathaway's Get Smart co-star also enjoyed a double dose of success in 2008 -- in addition to starring in the big-screen version of the TV show, he lent his voice to Dr. Seuss'Horton Hears a Who!, which notched nearly 155 million dollars in American theaters.
* JACK BLACK - He starred in Tropic Thunder and lent his voice to Kung Fu Panda. That's a solid year.
* Cloverfield - With 80 million dollars, this flick emerged as unlikely hit, despite the fact several moviegoers complained they felt sick after watching the shaky camerawork.
* Twilight - By earning more than 159 million dollars, this teen film about a romance involving a vampire more than took just a bite out of the box office. It resonated with teenage girls, who helped make ROBERT PATTINSON the latest teen heartthrob.
* MILEY CYRUS - The teen queen cemented her status as a triple threat. In addition to her growing popularity as a TV star and singer, the 16-year-old notched a pair of hits in theaters with Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour and Bolt. They took in a combined 155 million dollars.
* JUDD APATOW - Apatow maintained his stranglehold as the king of comedy. He produced two films, Step Brothers and Pineapple Express, which combined to gross nearly 188 million dollars.
* SHIA LABEOUF - The young star may have had his personal issues thanks to a rough car accident, but professionally, he is super hot. In addition to the latest Indiana Jones movie, he also starred in the thriller Eagle Eye, which netted another 100 million dollars.
* TINA FEY - The star didn't just have a huge year on TV with 30 Rock and her dazzling SARAH PALIN impression. She also starred in the surprise hit Baby Mama, which earned 60 million dollars.
* ELIZABETH BANKS - While she probably won't score any award nominations for her work, we'd like to recognize Banks as busiest actor or actress. She starred in five movies in 2008 -- W., Role Models, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, as well as the forgettable Definitely, Maybe and the bomb Meet Dave.
* BRENDAN FRASER - You may not have heard much about him in 2008, but Fraser certainly enjoyed a stellar year. His films Journey to the Center of the Earth and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor each pulled in 100 million dollars.
* Slumdog Millionaire - It hasn't made a ton of money, but this drama about a man competing on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire has been cheered by critics and audiences alike.
* SEAN PENN and JOSH BROLIN in Milk - The duo has critics raving for their performances in this biopic about gay politician HARVEY MILK.
* No Country for Old Men - This COEN BROTHERS offering was the big winner at the Oscars, scoring four trophies, including one for Best Picture.
* Foreign Academy Award winners - Britain's DANIEL DAY-LEWIS won Best Actor for There Will Be Blood, while MARION COTILLARD of France won Best Actress for La Vie En Rose. Spaniard JAVIER BARDEM scooped up Best Supporting Actor honors for No Country for Old Men, while Brit TILDA SWINTON scored the Best Supporting Actress title for Michael Clayton. It marked just the second time all four acting awards at the Oscars went to non-Americans. The other occurred in 1964.
LOSERS:
* W. - PRESIDENT BUSH'S approval rating is down, so it's not too much of a surprise OLIVER STONE'S highly-anticipated biography about him barely registered a whimper, earning 25 million dollars. Josh Brolin, who played the president, also gets a mention here, as well. He starred in Milk, so his decisions to star in political biographies kind of evened out.
* The Love Guru - MIKE MYERS returned to theaters in this comedy, but audiences didn't take notice. His first on-screen performance since 2003's The Cat in the Hat bombed with 32 million dollars.
* JESSICA ALBA - Good thing Alba had a baby girl in 2008. It can help take her mind off the fact she starred in The Love Guru and another stinker, The Eye.
* EDDIE MURPHY - Murphy stumbled badly in the comedy Meet Dave, which scraped together just 11 million dollars in receipts. Murphy took another shot by winning Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Supporting Actress at the 28th Golden Raspberry Awards for his multiple roles in Norbit.
* LINDSAY LOHAN - Her on-screen work didn't get much attention in 2008, but it wasn't forgotten by the Razzies, which honored Lohan with a Worst Actress trophy for her work in I Know Who Killed Me, which was also named Worst Picture.
* The X-Files: I Want to Believe - Maybe they should call it "The Ex-tinct Files" because after its appalling 20 million showing, we may not see another movie in this series.
* Speed Racer - At best, this highly-anticipated EMILE HIRSCH vehicle got stuck in neutral by earning a disappointing 43 million dollars.
* Delgo - This animated feature may have been 2008's biggest bust. It set the record for worst opening ever for a movie in wide release. Showing on nearly 22 hundred screens, the film, which featured the voices of FREDDIE PRINZE JR., JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT and BURT REYNOLDS made a dismal 512 thousand dollars.
* LEONARDO DICAPRIO and RUSSELL CROWE - DiCaprio plus Crowe should not equal 39 million dollars, yet that's how the math worked out for this spy thriller which reunited the duo, who previously starred in 1995's The Quick and the Dead.
* ROBERT DE NIRO and AL PACINO - Here's another high-powered duo that surprisingly failed to click with moviegoers. The Oscar winners previously co-starred in Heat and The Godfather Part Two, but they couldn't find the winning formula a third time as the crime drama Righteous Kill fizzled in theaters with 40 million dollars. Pacino also took a hit with 88 Minutes, a thriller about which moviegoers didn't even give a minute's thought.
* HUGH JACKMAN and NICOLE KIDMAN - Their sweeping epic Australia failed to live up to the hype and has earned a much-less-than expected 41 million dollars to date. Jackman loses more points for starring in another clunker called Deception, but it kind of washes out because he was named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" and was tapped to host next year's Oscars.
* KATE HUDSON - Sure, Fool's Gold, her on-screen reunion with her How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days co-star, MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, took in 70 million dollars, but Hudson's comedy My Best Friend's Girl was a mess with 19 million dollars.
* JASON BIGGS - Hudson's co-star in My Best Friend's Girl should probably take a closer look at the scripts he's given. His other movie in 2008, the comedy Over Her Dead Body, died a quick death in theaters and made just 7.5 million dollars.
* TERRENCE HOWARD - How do you star in Iron Man and wind up a loser for the year? Simple. You find yourself not invited back for the sequel. A few months after Iron Man came out, word leaked out Howard would not return due to financial differences. DON CHEADLE will replace him.
* SIMON PEGG - His comedies Run Fay Boy Run and How to Lose Friends and Alienate People alienated just about everyone, by combing to earn a dismal eight million dollars.
THE TOP MOVIES OF 2008
Here's a look at the top 10 movies in the U.S. in 2008 with their domestic grosses:
1. The Dark Knight - $530.7 million
2. Iron Man - $318.3 million
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - $317 million
4. Hancock - $228 million
5. WALL-E - $223.7 million
6. Kung Fu Panda - $215.4 million
7. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa - $172.3 million
8. Quantum of Solace - $161.3 million
9. Twilight - $158.5 million
10. Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! - $154.5 million
Here's a look at the top 10 worldwide movies in 2008, with their grosses from around the globe:
1. The Dark Knight - $996.7 million
2. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - $786.6 million
3. Kung Fu Panda - $631.9 million
4. Hancock - $624.4 million
5. Iron Man - $581.9 million
6. Mamma Mia! - $571.7 million
7. Quantum of Solace - $528.5 million
8. WALL-E - $502.7 million
9. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - $419.6 million
10. Sex and the City - $415.1 million
TELEVISION IN 2008
The year 2008 was a memorable one in many ways for TV viewers. Here are a few of them:
LATE NIGHT:
TINA FEY's return to Saturday Night Live as Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin. Fey's dead-on impression helped the show score its best ratings in 14 years.
DAVID LETTERMAN vs. JOHN MCCAIN. The GOP presidential candidate bailed out of a scheduled appearance on Letterman's Late Show at the last minute, supposedly so he could head back to Washington to focus on the sagging economy. Letterman discovered through the magic of a CBS internal video feed that the Arizona senator was actually still in New York preparing for an interview with KATIE COURIC. Letterman blasted McCain on the air, but made amends a few weeks later when the senator finally made an appearance. Apologies all around.
NBC announced that JAY LENO will be hosting a new weeknight primetime program, tentatively titled The Jay Leno Show, beginning in the fall of 2009, after he leaves The Tonight Show. Leno's last night as host of The Tonight Show is scheduled for May 29, 2009; CONAN O'BRIEN will take over on June 1st.
SARAH SILVERMAN's satirical music video "I'm F**king Matt Damon" won her an Emmy for Best Original Music and Lyrics at the Creative Arts Emmys in September. In accepting the trophy, Silverman said, "Thanks to the person for whom this whole thing was made: Jimmy Kimmel, who broke my heart, who'll always have a place in my heart." The couple called it quits in July after a five-year courtship, but reportedly still have a relationship. Kimmel marked his one thousandth late night show in April. He responded to Sarah's video with one of his own: "I'm F**king Ben Affleck."
PRIMETIME PROGRAMMING:
Here were the Top Ten Regularly Scheduled TV programs in 2008, according to The Nielsen company:
1. American Idol-Tuesday - Fox
2. American Idol-Wednesday - Fox
3. Dancing With The Stars - ABC
4. Dancing With The Stars, Results - ABC
5. The Mentalist - CBS
5. NBC Sunday Night Football - NBC
7. CSI - CBS
8. NCIS - CBS
9. 60 Minutes tied with Survivor: Gabon - Both CBS
CSI killed off GARY DOURDAN's character, Warrick, in a season-ending cliffhanger. The on-screen death occurred shortly after Dourdan was arrested in real life for possession of heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and prescription pills. Former CSI co-star JORJA FOX returned for a few episodes this season, but WILLIAM PETERSEN announced he would be leaving the series after the December 18th episode. LAURENCE FISHBURNE has joined the cast.
The TV season's most popular new series is The Mentalist on CBS. The SIMON BAKER crime drama about a cop with keen powers of observation became the number one show in primetime in early December with more than 18 million viewers
The CW launched a new version of 90210. The series has done well enough in the ratings to prompt the CW to remake another 90s TV show, Melrose Place.
Remember LINDSAY LOHAN's guest appearances on Ugly Betty this past fall? Don't worry, nobody else remembers. There were rumors Lindsay had major creative differences with producers and would not be invited back.
The AMC series Mad Men continued to generate more buzz than any other drama on TV this year. The show centers on advertising men in the 1960s in New York. The series won an Emmy this year for best drama.
CBS canceled its celebrity talent showcase -- Secret Talents of the Stars -- after just one episode.
No one ever accused South Park of being too timid. On the October 8th episode, after the kids of South Park feel duped by GEORGE LUCAS and STEVEN SPIELBERG's latest Indiana Jones film, they have a series of dreams in which the filmmakers have their way with HARRISON FORD in a variety of manners that parody famous movie rape scenes like Deliverance and The Accused.
This season of Lost didn't just flash backwards in time, it also flashed forward to reveal the Oceanic Six. On the three-hour finale, producers made the island disappear, but not before killing off one major character, Jin, and possibly another -- Locke. The ABC series returns in January.
HBO scored a hit with the dark and moody True Blood, a vampire drama starring ANNA PAQUIN. It has averaged nearly seven million viewers weekly
JERRY O'CONNELL's hotel comedy on Fox, Do Not Disturb, only lasted six episodes, including the pilot.
After serving as guest host of Countdown with Keith Olbermann, liberal Rachel Maddow got her own show on MSNBC.
If he's good enough for President-elect BARACK OBAMA, he's good enough to be mentioned. Gay stickup man Omar on The Wire met his fate suddenly during the show's final season. The president-elect said Omar Little, played by actor MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS, was his favorite character on television this season.
In September, ABC, CBS and NBC all aired an hour-long telethon to raise money and awareness for cancer. Stand Up To Cancer brought out big names from Hollywood whose lives have been touched in some way by the disease, including PATRICK SWAYZE, who has been battling pancreatic cancer.
REALITY SHOWS:
DAVID COOK won this year's edition of American Idol, but the 2008 "Paula Abdul Moment" was when the wacky judge critiqued a performance by contestant JASON CASTRO that didn't happen. Paula told Jason, quote, "The second song, I felt like your usual charm was missing for me." The only problem was he had only performed one song. Maybe that's why Fox has added a fourth judge for the upcoming season -- songwriter KARA DIOGUARDI.
CLORIS LEACHMAN stealing the show every time she strutted her stuff on ABC's Dancing with the Stars. BROOKE BURKE might have won the mirror ball trophy this fall, but the 82-year-old Leachman won the hearts of millions of viewers. Olympic figure skater KRISTI YAMAGUCHI won the spring edition of the dance competition.
Texas resident MICHELLE AGUILAR was crowned the winner of The Biggest Loser: Families in December. The 26-year-old Aguilar, who entered the competition with her estranged mother, started out at 242 pounds, but slimmed down to 132 pounds -- that's 45 percent of her body weight.
BOB CROWLEY, a physics teacher from Portland, Maine, had the winning formula for Survivor: Gabon. The 57-year-old won the 17th edition of the series in December, becoming the oldest person ever to claim victory on the reality competition in the process.
The brother-and-sister duo of NICK and STARR SPANGLER are one million dollars richer after winning the 13th edition of CBS' The Amazing Race in December.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta continue to draw solid ratings, prompting Bravo to pick the series up for a second season. Variety says the hotlanta ladies were a biggest hit this year than both The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Real Housewives of New York.
Bravo's reality series Project Runway ended up in court after its owners sold it from under them to Lifetime without warning. Season 6, which will be the first set in L.A. is already in the can, but no premiere date has yet been set.
NBC brought America's Got Talent back for a third edition this past summer and the competition show dominated the summer time ratings battle. ABC opted for a more bizarre primetime lineup and treated viewers to the quirky, but popular competition shows Wipeout and I Survived a Japanese Game Show.
MORE TV DRAMA:
Who needed ROSIE O'DONNELL on The View when you had JOY BEHAR and ELISABETH HASSELBECK at each other's throat when the Hot Topic was politics? Meanwhile, O'Donnell and another View alumnus, STAR JONES, publicly blasted the person who hired them for the show -- BARBARA WALTERS.
The 14-week writers' strike was on last year's list of TV events because it began in November 2007, but it was also a 2008 moment because it didn't end until February of this year. It had a dramatic effect on the TV schedule with fewer shows being produced and even fewer new hits.
There was one good thing about the writer's strike. The Golden Globes ceremony had to be scrapped and replaced with a news conference hosted by various anchors of TV entertainment shows who simply read the list of winners.
The broadcast of this year's low-rated Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony in September was hosted by five of the country's most popular reality shows -- Survivor's JEFF PROBST, American Idol's RYAN SEACREST, Project Runway's HEIDI KLUM, Dancing With The Stars' TOM BERGERON and Deal Or No Deal's HOWIE MANDEL. Here were this year's big winners:
Drama Series Mad Men, AMC
Comedy Series 30 Rock, NBC
Miniseries John Adams, HBO
Made-for-TV Movie Recount, HBO
Actor, Drama Series
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad, AMC
Actress, Drama Series Glenn Close, Damages, FX
Actor, Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock, NBC
Actress, Comedy Series
Tina Fey, 30 Rock, NBC
CELEBRITY SCANDALS & TRAGEDIES IN 2008
PARIS HILTON and LINDSAY LOHAN disappointed us with a relatively low-key 2008, after each spent time in jail the year before. But we had nothing to fear -- many celebrities were more than willing to pick up the slack with their crazy antics. We were also shocked by a number of Hollywood tragedies in the last 12 months. To refresh your memory, here's a rundown of the biggest celebrity scandals and tragedies of 2008:
HEATH LEDGER'S MEMORY LIVES ON MONTHS AFTER HIS DEATH
On the day the Academy Award nominations were announced, HEATH LEDGER was found dead in his New York City apartment on January 22nd. It was determined that the 28-year-old Australian actor, who once received an Oscar nomination for Brokeback Mountain, died from an accidental overdose of six prescription drugs. He left behind a young daughter, MATILDA, who's now three years old. The child's mother is Ledger's Brokeback Mountain co-star and former partner, MICHELLE WILLIAMS.
Six months after Ledger's death, moviegoers were treated to his spellbinding performance as the twisted Joker in the Batman Begins sequel The Dark Knight. The film collected over 500 million dollars at the domestic box office, and could still earn Ledger a posthumous Oscar nod. Ledger's final big-screen appearance will come in the 2009 movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.
HUDSON FAMILY TRAGEDY ROCKS OSCAR-WINNER'S NATIVE CHICAGO
JENNIFER HUDSON, a former American Idol contestant who won an Academy Award for Dreamgirls, suffered the loss of three family members in October. The bodies of Hudson's mother, 57-year-old DARNELL DONERSON, and brother, 29-year-old JASON HUDSON, were found in their Chicago home on October 24th. Three days later, Hudson's missing seven-year-old nephew, JULIAN KING, was found in an SUV in the city. All three were shot to death. After being considered a person of interest in the case, Hudson's estranged brother-in-law, WILLIAM BALFOUR, was arrested and charged early this month with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony home invasion in connection with the case.
NEW YEAR, SAME BRITNEY
With a new album debuting at number one this month and a tour scheduled for 2009, BRITNEY SPEARS is on the comeback trail again. Who would have thought she would have been able to resurrect her career this quickly, considering how her 2008 began? She was hospitalized not once, but twice in January for psychiatric evaluation. Her dad, JAMIE, subsequently was put in charge of her affairs as her conservator, a title he currently still holds. Brit also reached a custody settlement with ex-husband KEVIN FEDERLINE in July, allowing him to retain sole custody of their boys JAYDEN JAMES and SEAN PRESTON.
OH, AND BRITNEY BECAME AN AUNT THIS YEAR, TOO
Hadn't heard of Britney's younger sister, JAMIE LYNN, until last December? The then-16-year-old Zoey 101 actress became a household name late last year, when she announced to the world that she was pregnant. In June, at the age of 17, Jamie Lynn gave birth to a daughter, MADDIE BRIANN. The father is her fiancé, CASEY ALDRIDGE.
2009 CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH FOR THE O'NEAL FAMILY
Let's start with TATUM O'NEAL, who in June was arrested in New York City for allegedly buying cocaine. O'Neal, whose drug problems were documented in a 2004 memoir, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct one month later. She was required to spend two half-day sessions in a drug treatment program and pay a fine.
Her father, RYAN O'NEAL, was also on the wrong side of the law this year. Ryan and Tatum's 23-year-old half-brother, REDMOND, were arrested in September when authorities allegedly found drugs at the actor's Malibu, California home during a probation check of the younger O'Neal. Both were charged in October with possession of methamphetamine.
WHY SO SERIOUS, BATMAN?
As if The Dark Knight needed any more publicity when it was released in July, Batman himself, CHRISTIAN BALE, was questioned by London police that month following reported allegations by his mother and sister that he assaulted them at a hotel. Prosecutors announced in August that Bale would not face charges, citing insufficient evidence and the family's desire not to pursue the case further.
TIME TO UPDATE THE LAUNDRY LIST OF CELEBRITY DUI CASES
SHIA LABEOUF injured his left hand following a West Hollywood car accident on July 27th. The Transformers actor, who played Indiana Jones' son in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull this year, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving but was not charged due to insufficient evidence. It was also deemed that the 22-year-old LaBeouf was not at fault in the accident.
By her own admission, HEATHER LOCKLEAR had a rough year. She was arrested in the Santa Barbara, California area in September and later charged with driving under the influence of prescription medication. She was spotted driving erratically while leaving a parking lot before her car was found parked and blocking a lane on a state highway. The arrest came a few months after she completed treatment for anxiety and depression. Locklear's ex-husband, BON JOVI guitarist RICHIE SAMBORA, received probation for his own DUI case earlier in the year.
KIEFER SUTHERLAND began the year in a California jail after he was arrested the previous September in Los Angeles for DUI. The star of the Fox hit show 24 pleaded no contest to a single count of driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit and served 48 days in jail, in part because he violated probation from another DUI case. He was released on January 21st.
MISCHA BARTON also had a DUI case carry over from last year. After being arrested in West Hollywood last December, the former O.C. actress pleaded no contest in April to driving under the influence as part of a plea deal. A marijuana possession charge was dropped, and another charge of driving without a license was reduced to an infraction. Barton was sentenced to three years' unsupervised probation, among other penalties.
Lost actor DANIEL DAE KIM was ordered to pay a fine and perform community service, among other penalties, for his 2007 DUI arrest, which took place in Hawaii.
LINDSAY LOHAN DATES A WOMAN...BUT DON'T CALL HER A LESBIAN!
We couldn't leave Lindsay off this list completely, right? Her biggest accomplishment of 2008, aside from renewing her feud with her father MICHAEL LOHAN, was finding love with...well, she won't say. But it's pretty obvious that she started a romance with her female friend, DJ SAMANTHA RONSON. For some reason, the Mean Girls star refuses to admit she's dating Ronson, though she's strongly implied it on several occasions. In an interview with the December issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine, Lindsay said she is bisexual but not lesbian.
MILEY CYRUS, PUT YOUR CLOTHES ON THIS INSTANT!
MILEY CYRUS was only 15 when she appeared in a Vanity Fair photo spread that included a snapshot of the Hannah Montana star with a blanket wrapped around her chest and her back exposed. Miley seemed to anticipate the public backlash that the then-unreleased spread would cause, because she quickly released a statement in April in which she said she felt "embarrassed" by what she thought was supposed to be an "artistic" photo shoot.
CONFIRMED: JENNIFER ANISTON NOT HAPPY WITH ANGELINA JOLIE STEALING HER HUSBAND
In response to comments made by ANGELINA JOLIE that she and BRAD PITT grew close on the set of their movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith while he was still married to JENNIFER ANISTON, the former Friends actress told the December issue of Vogue magazine that Jolie's remarks were "really uncool." Aniston has had no problem moving on from Pitt, having dated singer JOHN MAYER on and off in 2008.
AND WE NOW PRESENT THE FEUD THAT HAD SCI- FI FANS BUZZING IN 2008
GEORGE TAKEI married longtime partner BRAD ALTMAN in a September ceremony which Star Trek co-star WILLIAM SHATNER did not attend. The former Captain Kirk, claiming he was not invited, taped an Internet message saying that there is, quote, "such a sickness" with Takei. For his part, Takei, a.k.a. Mr. Sulu, maintains that Shatner was on the guest list, but he did not RSVP.
DAVID DUCHOVNY IS ADDICTED TO...WHAT?
DAVID DUCHOVNY, who plays a sex-obsessed writer in the Showtime comedy Californication, announced in late August that he had entered rehab for a sex addiction. The X-Files star and his actress-wife, TEA LEONI, with whom he has two children, later announced that they had separated. A British report that suggested Duchovny had an affair with a tennis instructor proved to be inaccurate, while BILLY BOB THORNTON denied rumors that he had relations with Leoni.
GARY BUSEY: STILL A STRANGE GUY
Everyone could use a good hug, but not when it comes from GARY BUSEY on the red carpet of the Oscars. He interrupted a TV interview with JENNIFER GARNER and LAURA LINNEY and embraced a clearly-annoyed Garner. Busey has apologized for his spontaneous hug.
THE REST OF THE YEAR'S SCANDALS AND NOTEWORTHY NEWS
KIRSTEN DUNST checked into Utah's Cirque Lodge Treatment Center for depression, while EVA MENDES spent time at the same facility for unspecified reasons. Cirque Lodge also hosted Lindsay Lohan in 2007. Earlier this month, TARA REID entered rehab in California for undisclosed reasons.
Samantha Who? star CHRISTINA APPLEGATE revealed to ABC's Good Morning America in August she underwent a double mastectomy in her fight against breast cancer, and declared herself "100 percent" cancer-free.
Twenty-five-year-old actor BRAD RENFRO, whose credits included The Client and Apt Pupil, was found dead in his Los Angeles home on January 15th. He died of an accidental overdose of heroin and morphine.
CSI star GARY DOURDAN pleaded guilty to cocaine and Ecstasy possession in connection with an April arrest in Palm Springs, California. A third charge of heroin possession was dismissed. The case was to be dismissed after he completes 30 hours of a diversion program. Dourdan's CSI character was killed off this year.
Former One Day at a Time actress MACKENZIE PHILLIPS pleaded guilty in October to a felony count of cocaine possession in connection with an August arrest at a Los Angeles airport. Two charges were dismissed -- a heroin possession charge, and a misdemeanor count of unauthorized possession of a needle or syringe. The case will be dismissed altogether if Phillips completes a drug treatment program.
Actor SHELLEY MALIL, best known for playing STEVE CARELL's co-worker Haziz in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, was arrested in August and charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend at her California home. He pleaded not guilty.
WESLEY SNIPES was found guilty of three counts of failing to file income tax returns between 1999 and 2001. He was sentenced to three years in prison, but the Blade star is free on bail as he appeals the case.
Supermodel NAOMI CAMPBELL let her anger issues get the best of her again in April, when she was removed from a British Airways flight bound for Los Angeles at London's Heathrow Airport. She was accused of assaulting two police officers and using profanity during the incident, which was spurred by a luggage mishap. Campbell pleaded guilty in June to assaulting the officers and was sentenced to community service.
HULK HOGAN's 18-year-old son, NICK BOLLEA, served 166 days in a Florida jail for his role in a 2007 car crash that seriously injured a friend. His jail stint was nearly upstaged this year by the tension between The Hulkster and his estranged wife LINDA, who began dating a 19-year-old.
ROB LOWE and his wife sued two former nannies in April for allegedly breaking confidentiality agreements, only to be countersued by the women, who made sexual harassment allegations.
CELEBRITY DEATHS IN 2008
Here's a look at some of the notable deaths in 2008:
* JOHNNY GRANT, an honorary Hollywood mayor and presenter of Hollywood Walk of Fame stars, died January 9th at 84.
* MAILA NURMI, the creator of 1950s late-night horror program host Vampira, died on January 10th at 85.
* SIR EDMUND HILLARY, the first person to scale the summit of Mount Everest, died January 11th at 88.
* BRAD RENFRO, The Client actor, was found dead of an accidental overdose of heroin and morphine on January 15th at 25.
* ALLAN MELVIN, who played Sam the Butcher on The Brady Bunch, died January 17th at 84 of cancer.
* BOBBY FISCHER, the reclusive chess great, died January 17th at 64 of kidney failure.
* SUZANNE PLESHETTE, who played BOB NEWHART's wife on The Bob Newhart Show, died January 19th at 70 of respiratory failure.
* JOHN STEWART, a member of the folk group THE KINGSTON TRIO and the writer of THE MONKEES' "Daydream Believer," died January 19th at 68 after suffering a brain aneurysm.
* HEATH LEDGER, who earned an Oscar nomination for Brokeback Mountain and played The Joker in The Dark Knight, died January 22nd at 28 of an accidental overdose of prescription medication.
* CHRISTIAN BRANDO, the troubled son of MARLON BRANDO, died January 26th at 49 from pneumonia.
* SHELL KEPLER, who played nurse Amy Vining on General Hospital, died on February 1st at 49.
* BARRY MORSE, who played a detective in pursuit on TV's The Fugitive, died February 2nd at 89.
* MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI, THE BEATLES' guru, died February 5th. He was believed to be 91 years old.
* ROY SCHEIDER, the Jaws, All That Jazz and The French Connection actor, died February 10th at 75 of complications from multiple myeloma.
* DAVID GROH, who played the husband of the title character in Rhoda, died February 12th at 68 of kidney cancer.
* BOYD CODDINGTON, the star of TV's American Hot Rod, died February 27th at 63.
* WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY JR., a conservative commentator, died February 27th at 82. He had suffered from emphysema.
* MIKE SMITH, a singer for the DAVE CLARK FIVE, died February 28th at 64 from pneumonia.
* JEFF HEALEY, a blind guitarist-singer whose JEFF HEALEY BAND performed the 1980s hit "Angel Eyes," died March 2nd at 41 following a battle with cancer.
* GARY GYGAX, a co-creator of the popular fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons,died March 4th at 69.
* ANTHONY MINGHELLA, the director of The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley and Cold Mountain, died March 18th at 54 from a brain hemorrhage.
* ARTHUR C. CLARKE, the sci-fi author who wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey, died March 19th at 90 after suffering breathing problems.
* PAUL SCOFIELD, an actor who won an Oscar for A Man for All Seasons, died March 19th at 86 after suffering from leukemia.
* NEIL ASPINALL, friend to The Beatles, died March 23rd at 66 of lung cancer.
* RICHARD WIDMARK, Kiss of Death actor, died March 24th at 93.
* ABBY MANN, who won an Oscar for the Judgment at Nuremberg screenplay, died March 25th at 80.
* CHARLTON HESTON, the Oscar-winning actor whose credits included The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur and Planet of the Apes, died April 5th at 84 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
* DANNY FEDERICI, a member of BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN's E STREET BAND, died April 17th at 58 following a battle with melanoma.
* BEVERLEE MCKINSEY, a soap actress who appeared in Another World and Guiding Light, died May 2nd at 72.
* JERRY WALLACE, the singer of the 1959 hit "Primrose Lane," died May 5th at 79 of congestive heart failure.
* EDDY ARNOLD, a country music legend, died May 8th at 89.
* JOHN PHILLIP LAW, who played an angel in Barbarella, died May 13th at 70.
* ROB KNOX, who plays Marcus Belby in the 2009 film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, died May 24th at 18. He was stabbed to death.
* DICK MARTIN, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In comic, died May 24th at 86 of respiratory complications.
* SYDNEY POLLACK, the Oscar-winning director of Out of Africa whose credits also included Tootsie and They Way We Were, died May 26th at 73 of cancer.
* EARLE HAGEN, the composer of themes for The Andy Griffith Show and other TV programs, died May 26th at 88.
* HARVEY KORMAN, an actor whose credits included The Carol Burnett Show and Blazing Saddles, died May 29th at 81 after suffering complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
* YVES SAINT LAURENT, a renowned fashion designer, died June 1st at 71.
* BO DIDDLEY, a legendary guitarist, died June 2nd at 79 of heart failure.
* PAUL SILLS, a co-founder of the improv comedy group Second City, a breeding ground for comedians such as JOHN BELUSHI and BILL MURRAY, died June 2nd at 80 of complications from pneumonia.
* MEL FERRER, an actor-director who was once married to AUDREY HEPBURN, died June 2nd at 90.
* BOB ANDERSON, who played the young George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, died June 6th at 75 of cancer.
* JIM MCKAY, an Olympics journalist and host of ABC's Wide World of Sports, died June 7th at 86 of natural causes.
* CHARLIE JONES, a sportscaster for ABC and NBC, died June 12th at 77.
* TIM RUSSERT, host of NBC's Meet the Press, died June 13th at 58 of a heart attack.
* STAN WINSTON, a visual effects artist who worked on Jurassic Park, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and other films, died June 15th at 62.
* CYD CHARISSE, an actress-dancer who worked with FRED ASTAIRE and GENE KELLY, died June 17th at 86 of a heart attack.
* KERMIT LOVE, a costume designer and co-creator of Sesame Street characters, died June 21st at 91 from congestive heart failure.
* DODY GOODMAN, who played the title character's mother on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, died June 22nd at 93.
* GEORGE CARLIN, a legendary comedian and actor, died June 22nd at 71 of heart failure.
* LARRY HARMON, who portrayed Bozo the Clown, died July 3rd at 83 of congestive heart failure.
* JESSE HELMS, former North Carolina senator, died July 4th at 86 of natural causes.
* EVELYN KEYES, who played Scarlett O'Hara's younger sister Suellen in Gone With the Wind, died July 4th at 91.
* CHARLES H. JOFFE, who co-produced several WOODY ALLEN movies, died July 9th at 78.
* TONY SNOW, former White House press secretary, died July 12th at 53 of colon cancer.
* LES CRANE, a former late-night host, died July 13th at 74.
* JO STAFFORD, a popular singer during World War Two, died July 16th at 90 of congestive heart failure.
* ESTELLE GETTY, who played Sophia on The Golden Girls, died July 22nd at 84 after battling advanced dementia.
* ALEXANDER SOLZHENITSYN, a Russian author, died August 3rd at 89 of heart failure.
* ROBERT HAZARD, a musician who wrote CYNDI LAUPER'S 1983 hit "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," died August 5th at 59.
* BERNIE BRILLSTEIN, a talent agent and manager who also produced Ghostbusters and other projects, died August 7th at 77 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
* BERNIE MAC, a movie and sitcom actor and The Original Kings of Comedy comic, died August 9th at 50 of complications from pneumonia.
* ISAAC HAYES, an actor, musician and Shaft theme composer, died August 10th at 65 from a stroke.
* JERRY WEXLER, a record producer who helped launch the careers of ARETHA FRANKLIN, RAY CHARLES and others, died August 15th at 91 of congestive heart failure.
* LEROI MOORE, a saxophonist for the DAVE MATTHEWS BAND, died August 19th at 46 of complications from injuries he suffered in an ATV accident.
* DON LAFONTAINE, who provided the voice for countless movie trailers and commercials, died September 1st at 68.
* JERRY REED, a singer and Smokey and the Bandit actor, died September 1st of complications from emphysema at 71.
* ANITA PAGE, a silent film star, died September 6th at 98.
* CHARLIE WALKER, a member of the Grand Ole Opry, died September 12th at 81 after being diagnosed with colon cancer.
* RICHARD WRIGHT, a keyboardist for PINK FLOYD, died September 15th at 65 of cancer.
* NORMAN WHITFIELD, who co-wrote "Heard It Through the Grapevine" and other Motown hits, died September 16th at 68.
* PAUL NEWMAN, the Oscar-winning actor whose credits included Cool Hand Luke and The Color of Money, died September 26th at 83 of cancer.
* HOUSE PETERS JR., the original Mr. Clean, died October 1st at 92 of pneumonia.
* NICK REYNOLDS, a founding member of the folk group The Kingston Trio, died October 1st at 75.
* EILEEN HERLIE, who played Myrtle Fargate on All My Children, died October 8th at 90 of pneumonia.
* NEAL HEFTI, who composed themes for the 1960s Batman TV show and The Odd Couple, died October 11th at 85.
* EDIE ADAMS, a Tony Award-winning actress and wife of comedian ERNIE KOVACS, died October 15th at 81 from pneumonia and cancer.
* JACK NARZ, the host of several game shows from the 1950s through the 1970s, died October 15th at 85 of complications from a stroke.
* LEVI STUBBS, a frontman for THE FOUR TOPS, died October 17th at 72.
* RICHARD BLACKWELL, a.k.a. Mr. Blackwell, the fashion critic who released worst-dressed lists, died October 19th at 86 of complications from an intestinal infection.
* GERARD DAMIANO, the director of Deep Throat, died October 25th at 80.
* LOUIS "STUDS" TERKEL, an author, radio host and actor, died October 31st at 96.
* MICHAEL CRICHTON, Jurassic Park author and ER creator, died November 4th at 66 following a cancer battle.
* MIRIAM MAKEBA, South African singer who performed "Pata Pata," died November 10th at 76 of cardiac arrest.
* MITCH MITCHELL, a drummer for the JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, was found dead in a Portland, Oregon hotel room on November 12th. He was 62 years old.
* PAUL BENEDICT, who played neighbor Harry Bentley on The Jeffersons, died December 1st at 70.
* ODETTA, a folk singer, died December 2nd at 77 of heart disease.
* FORREST J. ACKERMAN, credited with coining the term "sci-fi," died December 4th at 92 of heart failure.
* BEVERLY GARLAND, who played FRED MACMURRAY's wife on My Three Sons, died December 5th at 82 following a lengthy illness.
* NINA FOCH, an actress who received an Oscar nomination for the 1954 film Executive Suite, died December 5th at 84 of complications from the blood disorder myelodysplasia.
* ROBERT PROSKY, who played Sergeant Stan Jablonski on Hill Street Blues, died December 8th at 77 of complications from a heart procedure.
* BETTIE PAGE, the sexy 1950s pin-up model, died December 11th at 85.
* VAN JOHNSON, an actor and Hollywood heartthrob in the 1940s and 1950s whose credits included A Guy Named Joe and The Caine Mutiny, died December 12th of natural causes at 92.
THE BEST-SELLING DVDS OF 2008
Here's a look at the 10 biggest selling DVDs in 2008:
1. Iron Man
2. The Dark Knight
3. I Am Legend
4. Alvin and the Chipmunks
5. Enchanted
6. National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets
7. WALL-E
8. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
9. Sex and the City: The Movie
10. Bee Movie
THE ROMANCES OF 2008
There was no shortage of compelling romances in the celebrity world in 2008. Let's take a trip down memory lane with this handy dandy guide:
CELEBRITIES WHO MARRIED IN 2008:
* EDDIE MURPHY and TRACEY EDMONDS - January 1st. After reports circulated their New Year's Day wedding in Bora Bora was not legally binding in the U.S., the couple broke up two weeks later by announcing, quote, "We have jointly decided that we will forego having a legal ceremony as it is not necessary to define our relationship further."
* JASON BIGGS and actress JENNY MOLLEN - April 23rd
* LONI ANDERSON and BOB FLICK - May 17th
* JESSICA ALBA and CASH WARREN - May 19th
* CHARLIE SHEEN and BROOKE MUELLER - May 30th
* ETHAN HAWKE and RYAN SHAWHUGHES - June. No specific date has been given.
* CHRIS KATTAN and SUNSHINE TUTT - June 28th. They separated two months later and are now divorcing.
* JASON LEE and CEREN ALKAC - No specific date has been revealed, although we do know they tied the knot in July.
* ELLEN DEGENERES and PORTIA DE ROSSI - August 16th
* JAMES GANDOLFINI and DEBORAH LIN - August 30th
* GEORGE TAKEI and BRAD ALTMAN - September 14th
* RYAN REYNOLDS and SCARLETT JOHANSSON - September 27th
* Former Seventh Heaven star BEVERLY MITCHELL and MICHAEL CAMERON - October 1st
* HOWARD STERN and BETH OSTROSKY - October 3rd
* Hills' starsSPENCER PRATT and HEIDI MONTAG - November 19th. There is still some debate about whether the union, which took place in Mexico, is legal.
* Without a Trace star ROSELYN SANCHEZ and actor ERIC WINTER - November 29th
CELEBRITIES WHO GOT ENGAGED IN 2008:
* CARMEN ELECTRA and ROB PATTERSON - Electra, became engaged to the former touring guitarist for KORN when she turned 36 on April 20th. It'll be her third marriage, following unions with DENNIS RODMAN and DAVE NAVARRO.
* UMA THURMAN and ARPAD BUSSON - The actress and the Swiss multimillionaire announced in June they planned to marry.
* MARIA BELLO and BRYN MOOSER - The 41-year-old Coyote Ugly star and the 28-year-old Mooser became engaged in July.
* AMY ADAMS and DARREN LEGALLO - The Enchanted star got some enchanting news of her own when Legallo, an actor she met in an acting class in 2001, popped the question in July.
* MENA SUVARI and SIMONE SESTITO - It came out in July that Sestito, who's a music producer, popped the question to the 29-year-old American Beauty star while they were on vacation in Jamaica.
* RACHEL HUNTER and JARRET STOLL - The 38-year-old former supermodel and the 26-year-old hockey player got engaged in August.
* JENNIFER HUDSON and DAVID OTUNGA - The Dreamgirls Oscar winner became engaged to the I Love New York 2 reality show star in September.
* CHANNING TATUM and JENNA DEWAN - Tatum popped the question to his Step Up co-star in Hawaii in September.
CELEBRITIES WHO DIVORCED IN 2008:
* ROBIN WILLIAMS and MARSHA GARCES WILLIAMS - Their 19-year union came crumbling down in March.
* STAR JONES and AL REYNOLDS - Jones, who took a lot of heat for constantly discussing her nuptials to Reynolds while she was still hosting The View, announced plans to divorce in April. They married November 13th, 2004.
* BILL MURRAY and JENNIFER BUTLER - She claimed he cheated, drank, abused her and was a sex addict and filed for divorce in May. A month later, the divorce was finalized.
* LIV TYLER and ROYSTON LANGDON announced their separation on May 1st. They married in 2003.
* CHRISTIE BRINKLEY and PETER COOK - This divorce was just plain nasty, featuring claims he cheated with a teenage girl and had an addiction to porn. They married in 1996.
* MORGAN FREEMAN and MYRNA COLLEY-LEE - Just hours after he broke his arm in an August car accident, the Oscar winner revealed he and his wife of 24 years planned to divorce.
* MADONNA and GUY RITCHIE - Amidst intense media speculation, the couple finally announced plans to divorce in October following nearly eight years of marriage.
* CHRIS KATTAN and SUNSHINE TUTT - They tied the knot June 28th, separated two months later and are now divorcing.
* CSI starMARG HELGENBERGER and ALAN ROSENBERG - News broke earlier this month the couple, who've been married 19 years, were divorcing.
* KATE WALSH and ALEX YOUNG - The Private Practice starand Young announced they planned to divorce earlier this month, after little more than a year of marriage.
CELEBRITIES WHO HOOKED UP IN 2008:
* BLAKE LIVELY and PENN BADGELY - The Gossip Girl co-stars have never actually confirmed any romance, but they've been linked since the beginning of 2008.
* JENNIFER ANISTON and JOHN MAYER - After briefly breaking up in August following four months of dating, Aniston and Mayer picked back up again in October.
* AMBER TAMBLYN and DAVID CROSS - The 25-year-old actress, who starred in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 this year, and 43-year-old comic were spotted swapping spit in New York City in April.
* ASHLEY OLSEN and JUSTIN BARTHA - The former Full House star has been linked to the National Treasure actor since May.
* CAMERON DIAZ and model PAUL SCULFOR - It's time for dating algebra where one ex equals one ex. Diaz once dated John Mayer and Sculfor dated Jennifer Aniston. Aniston and Mayer eventually became an item, therefore it follows that Diaz and Sculfor would follow suit in June.
* MADONNA and ALEX RODRIGUEZ - In July, rumors heated up that Madge and the New York Yankees slugger were seeing each other, even though she was still married to Guy Ritchie. In October, she and Ritchie announced they were divrocing and the talk she and A-rod are an item haven't cooled off one bit since.
* MICHELLE WILLIAMS and SPIKE JONZE - Just seven months after Williams' ex, Heath Ledger, passed away in January, Williams was seen making time with the Being John Malkovich director.
* LINDSAY LOHAN and SAMANTHA RONSON - After weeks of speculation, Lohan confirmed in September she and Ronson are dating.
* MILEY CYRUS and underwear model JUSTIN GASTON - She's since turned 16, but she was 15 when word leaked out in September she was seeing the 20-year-old underwear model.
* HOLLY MADISON and CRISS ANGEL - It's no illusion. Angel and Madison got together in September.
* MANDY MOORE and DJ AM - The two, who had dated in 2007, reportedly got back together after he was seriously injured in a September plane crash.
* ANNE HATHAWAY and ADAM SHULMAN - In October, the Get Smart star bounced back from her split with Raffaello Follieri by taking up with this little known actor, who reportedly dumped his girlfriend after he got involved with Hathaway.
* NICOLLETTE SHERIDAN and DAVID SPADE - This most unlikely couple reportedly hooked up during the actress' 45th birthday party last month in Beverly Hills.
* HUGH HEFNER and KARISSA and KRISTINA SHANNON - The Playboy founder bounced back from his split with Holly Madison with these 19-year-old twins. Just what any other 82-year-old man would do, right?
CELEBRITIES WHO SPLIT IN 2008:
* CARRIE UNDERWOOD and CHACE CRAWFORD - The Gossip Girl star and the country star split in March. Underwood later confessed that Crawford let her go via text message. Ouch!
* PAMELA ANDERSON and RICK SALOMON - The short-lived couple had their five-month marriage officially annulled in March.
* SEAN PENN and ROBIN WRIGHT PENN - In April, just four months after they filed for divorce, the couple, who've been married for 12 years, decided to give marriage another try. Love conquers all!
* GEORGE CLOONEY and SARAH LARSON - The Oscar winner and former Fear Factor contestant parted ways in May after dating since June of 2007.
* KATE HUDSON and OWEN WILSON - In May, the on-again, off-again couple ended things for good after reuniting for two months. They had previously dated in 2006.
* ANNE HATHAWAY and RAFFAELO FOLLIERI - They split in June after four years of dating a few days before he was arrested for fraud. Follieri was later sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail for lying to investors about connections he had with the Vatican that could help them buy property.
* JIMMY KIMMEL and SARAH SILVERMAN - The funny couple had lots of laughs during their five years together, but the final one occurred when they split in June, although they have been spotted holding hands since then, leading to speculation they might be back on.
* KATE HUDSON and LANCE ARMSTRONG - The next stop on Hudson's merry-go-round of men was the seven-time Tour de France. After going out for three months, they broke up in July.
* EMILY BLUNT and MICHAEL BUBLE - The Devil Wears Prada star and the singer put the kibosh on their three-year relationship in July. She's since been linked to Office star JOHN KRASINSKI.
* SALMA HAYEK and FRANCOIS-HENRI PINAULT - The couple, who has a one-year-old daughter, called off their engagement in July.
* JUSTIN LONG and DREW BARRYMORE - They announced their split on July 3rd after dating since August of last year.
* SIMON COWELL and TERRI SEYMOUR - After six years together, Terri and Simon ended things in September.
* NATALIE PORTMAN and DEVENDRA BANHART - The actress and folk singer began seeing each other in March before ending things in September.
* NICOLLETTE SHERIDAN and MICHAEL BOLTON - They called off their two-year engagement in September.
* DAVID DUCHOVNY and TEA LEONI - It was announced in October that the couple, who married in 1997 and has two children together, was separating. The news came after Duchovny checked into rehab for a sex addiction in August.
* HUGH HEFNER and HOLLY MADISON - The news that Hef and Holly were no more came out in October.
* PARIS HILTON and BENJI MADDEN - The heiress and the Good Charlotte rocker broke up in November after nine months of dating.
* EVAN RACHEL WOOD and MARILYN MANSON - Last month, the couple, which has an 18-year age gap, ended their romance amidst reports Wood felt Manson was too controlling. Tney had been going together since December, 2006.
* SIENNA MILLER and BALTHAZAR GETTY - They split in November, although some recent reports suggest they are back together. Their relationship started on a controversial note when they were photographed kissing over the summer, while the Brothers & Sisters star was still married. Shortly afterwards, he released a statement saying he and his wife had separated.
* RYAN GOSLING and RACHEL MCADAMS - They went their separate ways in November after they began dating again just three months before. The couple, who met while making The Notebook in 2004, had previously broken up in 2007.
* My Name is Earl star JAIME PRESSLY and fiancé ERIC CUBICHE - They announced they separated in November.
* DEANNA PAPPAS and JESSE CSINCSAK - After becoming engaged on The Bachelor, they announced last month they were calling it quits.
CELEBRITY BABIES IN 2008
Celebrities were certainly busy having or adopting babies in 2008. Here's a rundown of most of them:
THE WEIRDEST BABY NAMES OF 2008:
BRONX MOWGLI WENTZ - It's a boy. Proud parents: singer ASHLEE SIMPSON and rocker PETE WENTZ. Wentz said he got the middle name from the boy hero in Disney's The Jungle Book.
SUNDAY ROSE - It's a girl for actress NICOLE KIDMAN and country singer KEITH URBAN. They chose "Sunday" because they said that was their favorite day of the week. Nicole also has two adopted children with ex TOM CRUISE.
HONOR MARIE - A girl for JESSICA ALBA and husband, producer CASH WARREN.
BUSTER TIMOTHY - A boy for married actors JONNY LEE MILLER and MICHELLE HICKS.
ZUMA NESTA ROCK - That would be a boy not a beverage for singer GWEN STEFANI and hubby, rocker GAVIN ROSSDALE. Zuma is the name of a beach in Malibu and Nesta was the middle of reggae legend BOB MARLEY.
MORE THAN ONE:
ANGELINA JOLIE and BRAD PITT had twins in July -- a boy and a girl -- KNOX LEON and VIVIENNE MARCHELINE. The couple now has three adopted children -- MADDOX, PAX AND ZAHARA -- and three birth children -- SHILOH, KNOX and VIVIENNE.
JENNIFER LOPEZ and MARC ANTHONY had their first baby, make that babies in February, twins. A girl and a boy named EMME and MAX.
Singer RICKY MARTIN had twin boys in August. The identity of the babies' surrogate mother is unknown.
LISA MARIE PRESLEY and musician hubby MICHAEL LOCKWOOD had twin girls -- FINLEY and HARPER. Presley has a son and daughter from a previous marriage.
Numb3rs actress DIANE FARR and hubby SEUNG CHUNG had twin girls -- SAWYER LUCIA and COCO TRINITY.
BIRTHS FOR FORMER TV STARS:
Sabrina the Teenage Witch star MELISSA JOAN HART and hubby MARK WILKERSON had a boy in March -- BRAYDON HART WILKERSON.
Punky Brewster star SOLEIL MOON FRYE and her producer husband JASON GOLDBERG had a girl -- JAGGER JOSEPH BLUE GOLDBERG. Jagger joins older sister POET SIENNA ROSE GOLDBERG.
Full House actress JODIE SWEETIN and her set designer husband CODY HERPIN had a girl -- ZOIE.
BIRTHS THAT MAKE YOU GO "HMMM":
DAVID SPADE and Playboy Playmate JILLIAN GRACE had a girl. They do not have a relationship, but Spade acknowledges he is the daddy and will support the child.
Singer CLAY "I'm Gay" AIKEN had a boy in August with longtime friend JAYMES FOSTER. They named the child, PARKER FOSTER AIKEN.
Actress MINNIE DRIVER had a boy in September -- HENRY STORY DRIVER. The name of the proud papa is a mystery. Speaking about Mr. X to People magazine, Driver said quote, "He's going to be a dad so yeah he's going to be there for the kid. I'm not getting married to this person and I don't know what's going to happen but everyone is cool about the situation."
LAW AND ORDER BIRTHS:
Law and Order: Criminal Intent actor VINCENT D'ONOFRIO and his wife CARIN had a boy on Valentine's Day -- LUCA.
Former Law & Order actress ELISABETH ROHM and entrepreneur RON WOOSTER had a girl in April -- EASTON AUGUST ANTHONY.
Former Law & Order actor CHRIS NOTH and long-time girlfriend TARA WILSON had a boy -- ORION CHRISTOPHER NOTH.
Former Law & Order actress ANGIE HARMON and husband JASON SEHORN had a daughter in December -- EMERY HOPE. It's their third child -- all girls.
OTHER CELEBRITY BABIES IN 2008:
NICOLE RICHIE and JOEL MADDEN had their first child, a girl in January. They named her HARLOW WINTER KATE MADDEN.
Actor MATT DAMON and wife, LUCIANA, had a girl in August --GIA ZAVALA.
HALLE BERRY and her French Canadian model boyfriend, GABRIEL AUBRY, had a girl in March -- NAHLA ARIELA AUBRY.
Actor MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY and CAMILA ALVES had a boy -- LEVI ALVES MCCONAUGHEY.
Dancing with the Stars winner BROOKE BURKE and hubby DAVID CHARVET had a boy -- SHAYA. The couple also has a daughter, HEAVEN RAIN. Brooke also has two daughters, Neriah and Sierra, from a previous marriage.
Actress NAOMI WATTS and actor LIEV SCHREIBER had a boy SAMUEL KAI SCHREIBER.
British actress SAMANTHA MORTON and HARRY HOLM had a girl -- EDIE.
X-Files actress GILLIAN ANDERSON and boyfriend, MARK GRIFFITHS had a boy -- FELIX.
Actor ADAM SANDLER and wife JACKIE had a girl in November -- SUNNY MADELINE SANDLER.
OMG! Seventeen-year-old JAMIE LYNN SPEARS and fiancé, CASEY ALDRIDGE, had a girl - MADDIE BRIANN.
My Name is Earl star JASON LEE and girlfriend, CEREN ALKAC, had a girl in August. No name was announced, but it's got to be better than the name of Jason's son from a previous relationship -- PILOT INSPEKTOR.
Actor DANIEL BALDWIN and wife JOANNE had a girl. No name announced.
Boxer LAILA ALI and husband, former NFL star CURTIS CONWAY, had a boy -- CURTIS MUHAMMAD CONWAY, JR.
Skateboarder TONY HAWK and LHOTSE MERRIAM had a girl in June -- KADENCE CLOVER HAWK.
Actor ETHAN HAWKE and wife RYAN SHAWHUGHES had a girl - CLEMENTINE JANE HAWKE. The actor has two other children with ex-wife UMA THURMAN -- MAYA RAY and LEVON ROAN.
TORI SPELLING and her actor hubby DEAN MCDERMOTT had a girl -- STELLA DOREEN MCDERMOTT.
Actress CATE BLANCHETT and writer-director husband, ANDREW UPTON had a boy -- IGNATIUS MARTIN.
Actor KYLE MACLACHLAN and wife DESIREE GRUBER had a boy in July -- CALLUM LYON.
Actress JERI RYAN and her French chef husband CHRISTOPHE EME had a girl -- GISELE EME.
Saturday Night Live cast member AMY POEHLER and husband, comedian WILL ARNETT, had a boy in October -- ARCHIBALD "ARCHIE" ARNETT.
Actress JULIANNA MARGULIES and her lawyer husband KEITH LIEBERTHAL had their first child, a boy -- KIERAN LINDSAY LIEBERTHAL.
Actress ANGELA KINSEY of The Office and TV writer WARREN LIEBERSTEIN had a girl in May -- ISABEL RUBY LIEBERSTEIN.
Singer CHRISTINA AGUILERA and JORDAN BRATMAN had a boy and named him -- MAX LIRON BRATMAN.
Volleyball champ GABRIELLE REECE and professional surfer LAIRD HAMILTON had a girl -- BRODY JO HAMILTON.
Actress TONI COLLETTE and hubby DAVE GALAFASSI had a girl -- SAGE FLORENCE GALAFASSI.
Actor DAVID ALAN GRIER and wife CHRISTINE Y. KIM had a girl -- LUISA DANBI GRIER-KIM.
Actress COURTNEY THORNE-SMITH and husband ROGER FISHMAN had a boy in January -- JACOB EMERSON.
Former Olympic gymnast SCOTT HAMILTON and wife, TRACIE had a boy -- MAXX HAMILTON.
2008 NEWS IN REVIEW
The race for the White House and the global economic meltdown easily dominated the headlines in 2008, eventually becoming intertwined as Election Day neared. Overseas, the war in Iraq seemed to be winding down after more than five years while the situation in Afghanistan worsened. The Russian invasion of former Soviet republic Georgia and a massive earthquake in China that killed tens of thousand were just a few of the other major news events of the year.
JANUARY: The presidential primaries immediately jumped to the forefront when Illinois Democratic Senator BARACK OBAMA scored a surprising win in the Iowa caucuses (Jan. 3) as he sought to become his party's first African-American nominee. Obama defeated New York Senator HILLARY CLINTON in her attempt to make history as the first woman nominee. However, Clinton came back strong to score an impressive victory in the New Hampshire primary (Jan. 8). Over on the Republican side, Arizona Senator JOHN MCCAIN lost in Iowa to former Arkansas Governor MIKE HUCKABEE but then only gained strength as the primary season went on.
President GEORGE W. BUSH also delivered his final State of the Union address (Jan. 28), touting the security gains made in Iraq after nearly five years of frustration that left close to 4,000 American soldiers dead.
FEBRUARY: Democrat Barack Obama continued his winning ways in February, reeling off a string of 11 consecutive primary wins with Hillary Clinton hanging close behind in what turne d into a one man-one woman race. John McCain clearly emerged as the Republican frontrunner, picking up the most delegates on Super Tuesday (February 5). His main opponent, former Massachusetts Governor MITT ROMNEY, threw in the towel on his presidential ambitions a week later.
Aboard, Pakistani President PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, an important U.S. ally in the war on terror, began to see his tenuous hold on power slip away as his party went down to defeat in the parliamentary elections (February 18). Meanwhile, Cuban President FIDEL CASTRO, an adversary of the U.S. for half-a-century, resigned, citing medical reasons (Feb. 19). However, he officially turned the reins of power over to his brother, RAUL, ensuring that Cuba would remain a Communist state.
MARCH: Without breaking a sweat, John McCain clinched the Republican nomination for president with primary wins in Texas and Ohio (March 4) although it took several weeks before Mike Huckabee dropped out. Meanwhile, Barack Obama was dealing with other distractions as incendiary comments made by his former pastor, the Rev. JEREMIAH WRIGHT, threatened to derail his bid for the Democratic nomination. Obama delivered an impassioned speech on race relations in the U.S. while also repudiating Wright's anti-U.S. statements.
Scandal also rocked the political scene when federal prosecutors caught New York Governor ELIOT SPITZER having sexual relations with high-priced call girl ASHLEY DUPRE in a Washington, D.C. hotel room. It wasn't the first time Spitzer che ated on his wife either. He resigned his office (March 12) and was succeed by Lieutenant Governor DAVID PATERSON.
In Iraq, the U.S. suffered its 4,000 fatality (March 23).
APRIL: China, host of the Summer Olympic Games, discovered it would be a rocky road to Beijing as protests over its human rights record disrupted the running of the Olympic torch in London (April 6) and Paris (April 7). In Iraq, the national army won an important victory by driving out militant elements of the Mahdi Army from the southern city of Basra (April 19.) The Shiite group had held sway in the city since 2003. But trouble increased in Afghanistan as Taliban militants targeted President HAMID KARZAI in an assassination attempt (April 27). Karzai was unhurt but three people were killed and dozens wounded during the incident..
MAY: China suffered one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent years as 7.9 magnitude earthquake devastated three western provinces (May 12). At least 68,000 people were killed but the true death toll may never be known.
Domestically, the California Supreme Court ruled that a law barring gays and lesbian from marrying was unconstitutional (May 15), paving the way for same-sex unions in the Golden state. On Capitol Hill, longtime Massachusetts Senator EDWARD KENNEDY was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor (May 20), later undergoing risky surgery to remove the growth.
JUNE: Barack Obama declared himself the undisputed victor in the race for the Democratic presidenti al nomination by capturing 2,154 delegates after the final primaries (June 3). Hillary Clinton soon suspended her campaign and threw her support to Obama (June 7). Obama also decided later in the month not to accept public financing during the general election, enabling him to eventually raise a record $750 million.
In California, judges began performing gay weddings while opponents vowed to place a referendum on the November ballot to overturn this new right. The U.S. Supreme Court also handed gun owners an important victory by tossing out a law in Washington, D.C. that bans private ownership of handguns (June 26).
JULY: With the nomination in hand, Barack Obama decided to bolster his foreign policy credentials by meeting with U.S. military commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama culminated his trip with a speech before hundreds of thousands in Berlin at the same spot where former Presidents JOHN F. KENNEDY and RONALD REAGAN delivered their own famous speeches (July 24). The Obama trip was mocked by Republican rival John McCain, whose campaign ran off a series of effective commercials that alleged the Democrat was all style and no substance.
Federal prosecutors were set to make an important arrest in the 2001 anthrax mailing case that killed five people when the lead suspect, microbiologist BRUCE IVINS, committed suicide (July 29). It was determined that Ivins' access to the deadly toxin and other evidence were enough to determine that he sent the anthrax.
AUGUST: Russian troops swept into the former Soviet Republic of Georgia (Aug. 8) after Georgian troops tried to put down a rebellion in the breakaway enclave of South Ossetia, which still had close ties to Moscow. Russia soon moved into Abkhazia and began launching air strikes on the Georgia capital of Tbilisi, spurring the White House to call for the immediate withdrawal of all Russian forces. A peace deal was brokered but Moscow didn't begin calling back its troops until later in the month. The aggression aggravated tensions between the U.S. and Russia as Prime Minister VLADIMIR PUTIN reasserted himself as the true power in the Kremlin.
In Pakistan, Prime Minister Pervez Musharraf gave up his long battle to stay in office and decided to resign rather than face impeachment, leaving the government to former political enemies, including ASIF ALI ZARDARI, the husband of slain former Prime Minister BENZAIR BHUTTO.
Barack Obama picked Delaware Senator JOE BIDEN as his running mate (Aug. 23) took another major step toward his improbable run for the White House by accepting the Democratic nomination for president. (Aug. 28). In his acceptance speech, Obama recalled the struggles and triumphs of slain civil rights leader Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. He also criticized Republican John McCain as being out of touch with the problems facing the nation.
One day later, McCain made a surprising pick for his vice presidential candidate, choosing Alaska Governor SARAH PALIN, a move to appeal to the Repub lican Party's conservative base. It was the first time the GOP put a woman on the presidential ticket.
The sports world crowned a new hero at the Beijing Summer Games as swimmer MICHAEL PHELPS collected his eight gold medal in a single Olympics, breaking the record of seven held by MARK SPITZ.
SEPTEMBER: The Republican Convention didn't start off as planned (Sept. 1) as Hurricane Gustav narrowly missed wreaking havoc on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Sarah Palin made her acceptance speech as John McCain's running mate (Sept. 30), mocking Barack Obama's experience as a, quote, "community organizer. McCain accepts the Republican nomination for president, touting his military experience, which included nearly six years as a POW during the Vietnam War. He promised to shake things up in Washington, declaring himself a maverick amid the crowd on Capitol Hill.
For the second time in less than two weeks, the Gulf Coast was threatened by a major natural disaster. Hurricane Ike made landfall as a deadly Category 3 storm, slamming into the port city of Galveston Texas (Sept. 13), leaving behind billions of dollars in damages.
However, politics and hurricane soon took a backseat to the rapidly faltering economy. The writing for a major collapse was on the wall began when mortgage lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were put under government conservatorship. The breakdown in the housing market was caused by years of issuing subprime mortgages to buyers . When the values of homes began to plummet, owners couldn't keep up with their payments. As foreclosures grew and houses didn't sell, the ripple effect was felt throughout the financial world. Investors immediately grew skittish as Merrill Lynch was acquired by Bank of America and Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial dropped 500 points (Sept. 15), the biggest day loss since the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. While Treasury Secretary HENRY PAULSON and congressional negotiators came up with a $700 billion package to bail out banks and other financial institutions, the House rejected it as being too charitable (Sept. 29).
OCTOBER: After a lot of retooling, the House accepts the $700 billion package (Oct. 3), which includes increased insurance for bank deposits covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and billions in tax breaks for individuals and companies. President Bush then sign the bill into law. Still, economic experts predict it will take months, if not years, for the country to dig its way of the financial hole, a fact that also sends world markets into a tailspin. Meanwhile, the Dow falls below 9,000 for the first time in five years (Oct. 9) as unemployment rises and retirement account are dissipated by the financial meltdown. The White then announces it will invest an $250 billion in nine major U.S. banks, which comes from the $700 bailout bill (Oct. 14).
Still, politics continue pretty much as usual. In the vi ce presidential debate, Republican Sarah Palin appears to hold her own against the more experienced Democrat Joe Biden (Oct. 2) while Barack Obama and John McCain go toe-to-toe in two debates (Oct. 7 & 15). The second meeting is far more contentious as McCain goes on the offensive due to polls numbers showing Obama building leads in a number of key battleground states. In a strange twist of fortunes, the country's economic misery proves to be a boon for the Democrat as McCain is tied to the unpopularity of President Bush.
NOVEMBER: Barack Obama is elected the nation's first African-American president (Nov. 4), winning 338 electoral votes to 161 for John McCain. Obama ensured the White House by winning the battleground states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. His enthusiasm is muted during his victory speech as he asks for the support of the 55 million people who didn't vote for him. McCain is gracious in defeat, pledging to help the new administration deal with the daunting problems that face the country. Democrats also make big gains in the House and Senate.
In California, voters accept Proposition 8, which overturns a law allowing same-sex marriages. Gay and lesbian activists vows to reinstate the law.
The bailout of the nation's financial institutions continues as the Treasury and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation say they'll back up more than $300 billion losses suffered by Citigroup (Nov. 23). The government also announces a new plan to=2 0spend $600 billion to buy debt guaranteed by mortgage underwriters and another $200 billion to help consumers secure various loans.
The financial capital of India is rocked as ten gunmen overrun hotels and other targets in Mumbai (Nov. 26). The siege lasts 60 hours and at least 171 people are killed including six Americans. Only one of the gunmen survives and is captured. The attack is blamed on a separatist group from Pakistan.
The Iraqi parliament approves the Status of Force Agreement (Nov. 27) that keeps U.S. combat troops in Iraq past the end of the year but also requires them to leave major cities by June 30, 2009 and totally withdraw from Iraq at the end of 2011.
DECEMBER: President-elect Barack Obama introduces his national security team that includes former rival Hillary Clinton as his new secretary of state (Dec. 1). At his press conference , Obama also announced that Defense Secretary ROBERT GATES would remain the nation's top civilian head of the Pentagon for the time being. Rounding out Obama's national security team are retired Marine General JAMES JONES, who will become national security adviser; former Justice Department official ERIC HOLDER, the nominee for U.S. attorney general; Arizona Governor JANET NAPOLITANO, Obama's pick to head the Department of Homeland Security; and foreign affairs expert SUSAN RICE as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
What everybody already knew was confirmed when the National Bureau of Economic Research anno unced that the country was in a recession (Dec. 1) and had actually been in one since December 2007.
Another day, another political scandal. Illinois Governor ROD BLAGOJEVICH is accused by federal prosecutors of trying to sell Barack Obama's vacate U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder (Dec. 9). Obama and others call for the governor to resign but he refuses.
With the situation in Afghanistan still volatile, Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he will try to increase U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan from about 30,000 to just over 50,000 by the end of next spring or early summer. He speculates that American forces could remain in Afghanistan for years. (Dec 11).
Ingrid Michaelson Recher Theatre, Towson, MD
Wed, Nov 4, 2009 07:00 PM
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Fri, Nov 6, 2009 08:00 PM
Dane Cook Scope, Norfolk, VA
Sat, Nov 7, 2009 08:00 PM
Rob Thomas Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA
Tue, Nov 10, 2009 07:00 PM
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